prank #51 | video

[ghostytrainer]

[Judging by the dim light, it's well into sunset by now and John's laying on a lounge chair on what can only be the deck of the S.S. Anne. On his chest lays a small Dunsparce, wearing a tiny and absolutely adorable light blue party hat. John's idly petting its back, eliciting a few content sighs from the little snake every now and again.]

I know we have a starter appreciation day, but there's nothing quite like the anniversary of your arrival to get you thinking about the Pokémon that started it all. Like really think about them, I mean. Not just kind of acknowledging that they were your first Pokémon.

Or maybe I am just sentimental, who knows. But I really think there's something kind of special about starters. Even if there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to why you were paired up together. Either way, Colonel Sassacre here and I have been together three years as of today. [The Dunsparce flitters his wings a little, maybe giving the camera the smallest of smiles.] Though it feels like it's been way longer than that, honestly. Time flies when you're having fun, right?

[He beams at the camera.]

So tell me about your starters. What was yours? What sort of things have you done together? I dunno, just brag about them if you want. Or we can just talk about whatever, you know I am honestly not too picky. There's just only so long I can appreciate complete silence, personally. But this chair is way too comfy and the breeze feels way too nice to go back inside.

[He's feeling chatty again, apparently. And also lazy. Though what else is new on either of those fronts, really?]

On that note, if you haven't done the elite battle with Blue or Claire to get your S.S. Anne pass, I highly recommend doing so. Just saying. Totally worth it.

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[Video]

[aflashoffaith]

[Starter appreciation day? There's way too many holidays in this place.]

I have to admit I thought she was a little too... cute, for my tastes at first. But Hachi has proven herself to be quite a loyal companion.

[Minato moved his 'gear, tilting the camera to show off the small Plusle at his side, wearing a white flame tipped cloak and doing some sort of... dance, for the Minun at her side.]

But if they're not training, they're dancing.

[He's rather attached to her now though.]

[Video]

[ghostytrainer]

The cute ones can sometimes be the most surprising! Some of mine have really taken me by surprise like that too. I like her cloak, it's very...

[Hold on, he's seen a cloak like that before. Squint.]

Actually...you wouldn't happen to be Naruto's dad, would you?

[aflashoffaith]

I think the same could be said of my wife.

[Kushina was a tiny little thing, but even the great yellow flash feared for his life when she was angry.

He was laughing, though.]

But yes, I am. I'd like to believe it's easier to tell by our shared features but I suppose there aren't many families here that wear matching cloaks.

[ghostytrainer]

[Girls, man. Girls.]

[What are you going to do with them?]

Haha, well yes, there's that too! He very obviously takes after you it just didn't quite click, you know? In any case, it's nice to meet you. I'm John Egbert.

[He beams.]

So why the dancing? Is that something you taught her or just something she took up on her own?

[aflashoffaith]

[Naw John, that's Shina's boy through and through.

Their home village couldn't recognize the resemblance between them though so you're a step ahead of them at least.]

Likewise John, I'm Minato. It's always nice to meet a friend of my son's.

[The second question draws a short laugh out of him, Minato tilting the camera back towards his dancing duo.]

Plusle and Minun are "Cheering Pokemon". They enjoy cheering for their teammates in battle and will even give off showers of sparks while they do so... which has lead to one gym's electrical system being shorted out, so far. For the most part it's harmless, but they can be rather exuberant.

[ghostytrainer]

Ohhh, I see. [He has learned a new fact about Pokémon today. And it's an adorable one. Wow. What cute electric rodents.] Out of curiosity though, which gym did you short circuit?

[aflashoffaith]

Ah... Falkner's gym, in Violet.

I try not to let them both out to spectate now, if we're battling indoors.

[ghostytrainer]

Probably a good idea. But hey, it could have been worse! At least it wasn't Clair's gym.

[She probably would have ripped you a new one.]

[aflashoffaith]

Well, I doubt anyone would appreciate it really but given the looks he gave them while they were cheering it might have been more of a deliberate move than an accidental one on their part.

[Not that he approved but. Don't sideeye his zap rat bbs.]

[ghostytrainer]

Pffttt. I don't know if I can blame him for giving them looks if they were sending off sparks in a gym full of birds. But that being said, I can't really blame them for retaliating either.

Did they actually fight in that battle or just act as the cheer squad?

[aflashoffaith]

Ah- I let them switch out to fight, though my team was fairly overleveled by the time we visited the gym. It was a little unfair.

[And his strategy for basically every gym afterwards. He doesn't look very sorry about it.]

What about your starter? What are they like?

[ghostytrainer]

I think that's pretty much the story of everyone's gym battle life. I put off my last five Johto badges for so long that they were all pretty much massacres. Since that was before they offered the elite challenges.

[Nobody is ever sorry about steamrollering the gym leaders ever. Not even John.]

Sassacre's pretty chill though. He doesn't really say much or get particularly excited about anything but he's great to have around. I can always count on at least one partner for lazy Sunday afternoon naps! [John laughs a little, giving the Dunsparce an affectionate scratch under the chin.]

[aflashoffaith]

[Mini's pretty used to killing everyone and everything without them even noticing and not feeling bad about it.

But he's still a polite guy and it is kind of rude to show up with a team of level 100s and blow out the electricity.]

They really grow on you, don't they? We had summons back home... not everyone held contracts but mine, and Naruto's, were toads. It's nice to have companions around, partners.

The shared napping though, I could maybe do without that. My wife isn't too happy with all the small electric types that try to take over our bed.

[She has a lot of hair. He's kind of amazed they haven't set an Inn on fire yet with all the shocking that happens.]